Death by Shoelaces
by Blue Remedy
Summary: When Natsu enters a race, some of his oldest (and most hilarious) secrets will come back to haunt him. Can Lucy help him out? And is there something more than a friendship going on between them? [ONESHOT NALU FLUFFY SWEETNESS]


A ONESHOT FIT FOR MIDAS

(and u)

…

In a state of panic, I ran to the first person who I thought would listen. Lucy.

Well, in all honesty, I was headed to her house anyway. But I had to stop by the guild first to finalize stuff on our latest mission. I didn't so much mind the small chore, but it would've been more fun if Lucy was there.

But then-

"Oi! Natsu! Sign up for the race so I can beat you!" I turned to see Gray pointing at the bar, where a throng of Fairy Tail mages were crowding around Mira. I scowled, slightly angry that Gray signed up before me and a little relieved that he told me before all the spots were filled.

Damn him.

"Shut it, I was just going to sign up." I grumbled, and prepared to throw myself into the crowd. I leapt, in a tangle of elbows and fingernails and screaming. But in the end, I was victorious: having my name the last one on the list.

Many people groaned and I got a few jabs for getting in the way. I didn't mind though, and my triumphant grin proved it. I wondered where Lucy was, I wanted her to be there to watch me win.

"Alright everyone, all of the spots have been filled! You can all watch the race tomorrow, and as for the racers, good luck to all of you, and get your running shoes on!"

I stopped dead in my tracks and blanked. Rigid, I peeked down at my feet. I wiggled my toes and frowned at my sandals.

"Running shoes…" I murmured. Someone broke me out of my temporary rigor mortis by shoving me roughly.

"Oi! Why does Natsu get the last spot? That handwriting isn't even legible. Did he even write his name or just scribble a couple of lines?" There were a couple of guffaws with the addition of Elfman yelling from somewhere, 'Penmanship is a MAN!'.

I gritted my teeth and snatched the signup sheet from the laughing men. I scowled at my name, and then my guild mates.

"I was just in a hurry when I wrote it. I know how to spell my own name." My hands started to shake and the edges of the paper started to catch fire.

"Hey, Natsu, you okay?" Someone, maybe Max, asked hesitantly. I crumpled the paper before my anger and frustration, and my anger at my frustration, burned the paper to ash.

I dropped it and ran, my head down and arms pumping, trying to escape.

I sprinted to the nearest deserted back alley I could find. Hitting my back hard against the brick, I slowly slid to the ground, and sighed.

"What the hell is wrong with me…?" I huffed, holding my forehead in my hand and trying to steady my breathing. Usually when someone taunted me I'd either laugh it off or start a fight. So why was I so _angry_ this time?

_It's because they insulted him. _My subconscious whispered to me. I shook my head.

"They didn't mean to, it was indirect."

_That doesn't change anything. Do you even want to find him?_

Igneel. Of course I want to find him.

It's been a long time since I thought about him. Too long. I felt guilty, actually. He shouldn't be sliding out of my memory like… Like a dead person might.

I thunked my head against the brick wall I leaned on. I'm such an idiot. I made a scene and now they know something's up. I growled in frustration and punched the ground. Maybe I could go back and tell everyone I just remembered I had to do something. I clenched my eyes shut and sighed.

I had bigger problems than worrying about people insulting Igneel.

"_Get your running shoes on!" _

That's what Mira said- running shoes. I peeked around once again at my sandals and thought back to what the guys said, about how I didn't know how to spell my name…

Igneel taught me the letters and words, but there's only so much a dragon can teach. Even Igneel. Though I'll never admit it to anyone, Igneel was better at teaching me how to fight than teaching me how to read.

And that's when I took off to Lucy's. I jumped with a practiced grace, and perched neatly on her windowsill. She didn't scream, as I was expecting her to. No, she too caught up in what she was writing to see me.

She was adorable when she was concentrating. Her face was scrunched up and her eyebrows gave away what emotions she was feeling as her pen flew furiously across the page. But other than that, she was completely still.

I clumsily fell onto her bed, momentarily forgetting why I came here. I sneaked up behind her, and curiously looked at what was spellbinding Lucy so.

_I could just picture her there, curled up in the corner, tall bookshelves looming over her. I can see her shaking in the dark and yelping in terror every time thunder shook the building. Flinching with wide eyes as shadows danced and the wind howled. I could envision her sobbing by herself, alone, so alone in that dark old library. And I cursed myself for having such a vivid imagination…_

She stopped very suddenly, and I realized her breathing pattern had changed.

"Na...tsu?" Her breath hitched. I stepped back and smiled, hopefully she wouldn't kick me then. She turned around, and her face was flushed red.

"Hiya Lucy! Are you alright? You look red."

"I- I'm fine, really!" She waved her hands around, as if gesturing to show how well she was. A sick person could never gesture so crazily I suppose. Or whatever.

"What are you doing here Natsu?" She asked, sighing with her hands on her hips. My grin faltered. I wasn't here for anything fun.

"Well you see… um…" I started. She raised an eyebrow. I gulped.

Breathe, Natsu.

"I need help."

…

I explained to her that I signed up for the race tomorrow and that Mira said we needed running shoes and that was a problem because I don't know Lucy has a way with getting me to say things that I don't mean to.

"Wait, why are running shoes a problem?" She asked. We were both sitting cross-legged on her bed and facing each other, so our knees touched. I sighed loudly and took a deep breath in, placing my hands on her shoulders. And with all the dryness I could muster, I told her:

"I don't know how to tie my shoes."

She immediately burst into laughter, doubling over and clutching her sides. I crossed my arms and humphed indignantly. She stopped laughing abruptly, a different light in her eyes. Regret, I think. And worry.

"Oh, you were serious… Sorry Natsu, I didn't mean to-" She reached over to me and I brushed her hand away, a bit hurt by her reaction.

"No, stop. It's okay, I would've laughed too…" I fell backwards and burrowed under the blankets, trying to hide my shame. I hated admitting that I was incapable of something. But who else would I tell but Lucy? She patted my outer layer of blanket skin consolingly.

…

I didn't see him come in. He came from the window no doubt, but he'll never change, so I didn't try to argue on that. But when he walked up from behind me, I could feel his hot breath on my neck. His soft pink hair tickled my cheek, and the strong scent of smoke and soot overwhelmed me.

I stuttered his name, and it kind of went downhill from there. We migrated to the bed as he told me about his dilemma. It felt almost like an honor hearing this. Natsu rarely shared his worries with anyone, and chooses rather to keep his thoughts pent up. So it was gratifying to know that he trusted me enough to share.

I didn't know whether to laugh at the fact that he took Mira's quip about running shoes literally, or him joking about not being about to tie his laces. So I did both.

He lowered his head and crawled under my sheets and childishly hid from me, wrapping himself like a burrito.

Oh.

I didn't realize he was being serious about it

I felt awful, I didn't mean to hurt him. What kind of friend am I if I can't take anything he says seriously? Flustered, I tried my best to console my partner.

"Hey, Natsu, if you like, I could teach you how to tie your shoes so you can enter the race."

I spoke softly to him, and he hummed deeply. Maybe he said something, I don't know. But I was getting frustrated with him quickly. In one swift motion I flipped up the blanket and rolled underneath it, bumping into Natsu's warm body.

"Lucy- What the?" Natsu exclaimed in a breathy whisper, my forearms pressed to his chest. It was darker under the blanket, but light enough to where I could see him in the pink light that shined in. I gave him a determined grin, my face very close to his.

"Hey, I really am sorry I laughed." I whispered. I don't know why I felt compelled to whisper; it just felt like something I should take gently. His eyes widened and I fidgeted. "Can I… ask why you don't know how to tie your shoes?" He chuckled, and his eyes grew soft. He nudged himself closer to me.

"Igneel never actually taught me, the big idiot. I always ran around barefoot in the woods and in the cave." He murmured slowly, in a low voice. His eyes twinkled with a sad fondness. He had my full attention. Every fiber of my being abruptly wanted to know exactly what made Natsu tick.

"Then when I came to Fairy Tail, Erza tried to force footwear on me. She could get the shoes on me yeah; it was tying the laces I never got. So she stopped trying and gave me sandals. I've never tried to wear shoes since."

"I can see Erza doing that," I giggled. He smiled, as if Erza's, uh, _unique character_, suddenly occurred to him.

…

_Mira told me not to cry._

_I furiously shouted that I wasn't crying and sniffed loudly, disproving myself. Gray, that bastard, continued to laugh at me. Lisanna and Mira tried to calm me down and Cana looked on with concern. She was so quiet back then. But Erza hadn't said anything. I looked over to her, making eye contact with those fiercely dark eyes._

_Big mistake._

_"C'mon, you're going to learn with a proper education. Starting with words." She said in a demanding voice, yanking my hair and dragging me to the guild's library. Indeed, she did teach me more words and phrases and how to act around people. I would never admit it, but sometimes Erza's lessons were… fun._

_Looking back, I realize that this was Erza's way of showing compassion. She never got any gentler._

_"Natsu, we have a problem." Erza declared one day. _

_"Whaddya mean?" I asked, a little hesitant. _

_"You never wear shoes."_

_I stopped walking and looked at my bare feet. It was true enough. And for the next week, Erza was constantly on guard to make sure there were shoes on my feet, and most of the time there wasn't._

_"Now Natsu, you make a loop, like bunny ear, and you pull it around the-"_

_"Wait, where does the bunny ear go?"_

_"It's simple, you just twist this lace-"_

_"That doesn't look like a bunny's ear at all."_

_"Natsu would you just-"_

_"This is stupid! Why must I wear shoes anyway?!"_

_[CONK]_

_"Ow!"_

_"I quit!" She shouted. That was the first and only time Erza gave up on something, although she denies it wholeheartedly._

_…_

_"Look at these, Natsu." Erza told me the next day. I turned to see her whap me in the face with a pair of shoes, but they were different shoes, one without laces. I didn't know the name for these kind of shoes. I looked up at Erza's towering form, as if asking what I should call them._

_"They're sandals. If you can't wear shoes with laces, you'll wear these." I beamed, and hugged Erza tightly without thinking, and sprung away as an afterthought._

_"T-thanks Erza… You won't tell Gray that I can't tie my shoes, right?" She gave a small smile and nodded._

_"Your secret's safe with me."_

…

_I wonder if Igneel forgets to think about me. No, no I shouldn't think like that. I must treasure the memoires I have. But, what memories in particular…?_

"Natsu, hey, Natsu wake up." I blinked. Lucy was hovering over me. I blushed suddenly upon realizing how close her breasts were to me.

"I wasn't asleep, just thinking." I closed my eyes and hummed to keep the silence away. We were still under Lucy's blanket, which I guess is weird. You know, just a couple of people whispering to one another under a blanket.

"About what?" She leaned in eagerly. She's so weird. Why does she stick around with me? I mean, I know we're friends, but ever since I brought her here, we've never been separated. She could have formed a team with anyone really, but I held a secret pride in my heart that she chose to stay with me.

But just how long would she stay with me?

"Shoe tying… Igneel…" I listed off. I stumbled a little over Igneel's name. It felt weird saying it after so long. Her eyebrows rose.

Damn, she's always catches me when I stumble.

"Well, let's go find you some running shoes then."

She smiled, and I couldn't help but smile too.

…

Gray got me regular shoes for my birthday one year as a joke. He knew I wouldn't wear 'em, and he was right in that, because they were thrown in the closet the very next day.

I sifted through the layers of junk in the closet until I found them. I laughed, never being so happy to see shoes before. I stole a glance at Lucy, who was patiently waiting for me on the couch. I wonder if she could really teach me. I mean, I didn't doubt she had the ability to show me, I just wasn't sure if I could learn it.

"Found 'em Luce!"

…

Natsu enthusiastically bounced into the room, shoes in hand. "Teach me!" He yelled gleefully, plopping down on the couch next to me. I sucked in a quick breath as he bumped against my arm, making me tingle slightly.

"Alright, so put the shoes on." I instructed. He looked at me, then at the shoes, then at me again. Groaning, he flipped off his worn, black sandals and struggled to put on the red running shoes.

"No, Natsu, the tongue needs to be sticking out of the shoe, not stuffed in."

…

Lucy said something about tongues in my shoe, and that's when I started to get confused. "Lemme do it." She insisted, reaching around so that she was bending over my legs and fiddling with my shoe, her breasts squishing into my lap. I face turned red immediately. Did she realize what a compromising position she was in?!

"There!" She sat back up and I looked down. Well, my shoes looked alright, just untied now. I wiggled my toes and grimaced, hating how the shoes constricted my feet. "They're tight. My feet are too big."

"Well you know what they say about men with big feet…"

"What?"

"N-Nothing!"

She sprang up from the couch to get on her knees in front of me on the creaky old wooden floor. Her cheeks were tinted pink, but there was a determined look in her eye that forced me to go along with it.

"Okay, take a lace in each hand, don't whine just go along with it!" Lucy ordered. I squinted, concentrating on Lucy's instruction. For some reason I felt burdened to get this right, so I could impress Lucy. I shook that thought right out my mind. Her hands brushed against mine, and the need to get this right came back.

…

He was adorable when he was concentrating, she couldn't deny it. His tongue poked out of his mouth, and his dark eyes darted here and there, following the laces.

"No, that's not how you make a knot."

"How do you not not?"

"No not _not_ I mean knot with the laces."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

I could see him getting more frustrated, not that I wasn't getting frustrated as well.

"Why can't you just get it?!" I shouted, throwing down the damned laces, standing up.

"How is it my fault? Maybe you just can't teach!" He shouted furiously.

…

I'm sure I saw her eyes start to water.

"Well- Fine! I have much more important things to do than teach you anyway!" Her voice broke, and she stomped out, running down the dirt path and out of sight.

Dumbfounded, I didn't move a muscle. I probably could've caught up to her if I wanted, but I couldn't move. Teeth clenched, I seethed,

"…I'm such an _idiot_."

I spent the next however many hours beating my frustration into a punching bag. My heart felt like it was stuck in my throat and I felt the urge to scream.

I collapse on the sweet smelling grass outside, drenched in sweat and stripped down to only my white trousers. It was quiet, only the sound of my panting breaking the silence.

I glanced over to where I had carelessly chucked my shoes. I sighed loudly. Maybe I should apologize to Lucy, the race was tomorrow after all. That and I hated it when she was mad at me. In times like this, when my chest hurt when she left, I had to wonder when it was she started to affect me so profoundly. Why did I get nervous when she wasn't in my line of vision? This has never happened to me before.

It was sunset now.

…

I couldn't write for the life of me. Not a paragraph, no, not even a sentence. I tried reading. Nope. Eating. Nothing tasted quite right. Sleeping. Not even a wink.

I decided to take a bath.

"Is it really my fault that he can't tie his shoes?" I asked myself aloud. With no one answering back, I sighed and sunk deeper into the warm water.

My chest felt empty in all this silence. Usually I was on guard to make sure Natsu wouldn't barge in to my bath. I thought about summoning Plue, but I just didn't have it in me to call out the little guy.

Was it really only a few hours ago that we were whispering to each other under my blanket? My cheeks heated up at the memory, I don't know what I was thinking, being that bold. On that topic, what was I thinking yelling at Natsu like that? I mean, we do fight a lot, but it's normally playful.

When had this boy, this stupid boy, invaded my thoughts to the point where it pained me when he wasn't within arms reach?

I huffed. Maybe I should apologize.

It was sunset now.

…

I woke up to Natsu snuggled up to my neck, one arm wrapped around my middle and the other one under a pillow. I was going to scream, really I was, but something was different here. What was it…? Oh yeah, I was supposed to be mad at Natsu. Wasn't I going to apologize though? Ah, I'm terrible at being mad at people. And by the looks of it, Natsu wasn't one to hold a grudge either. I smiled.

Scratching his pink hair, I allowed myself to drift off on the heat Natsu radiated…

_Purr~_

What was _that_?

_Purrrrrr~_

Oh dear, _Natsu_ was making that noise. It's like his chest is vibrating…

"He's purring!" I shout. Natsu jolts awake. "Whas da? Who?" Natsu rambled sleepily, raising half fists.

I get very close to his face and poke him in the chest. "You! You were purring in your sleep Natsu!" He blushed up to his ears.

"D-Don't tell anybody okay?! It's super embarrassing!" He muttered. I giggled. "What do you mean? It's adorable!" He grinned, his cheeks tinted pink. A moment of silence passed as we were both trapped in thought, unknowingly staring into each other's eyes. He snapped out of it first.

"S-So I came over to say sorry, ya know, for yesterday." He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Oh, no no, it's okay, I was going to come over and apologize too." I smiled somewhat shyly.

…

I couldn't take my eyes off her. My heart started to hammer painfully in my chest.

In that moment of the suns morning light shining on her, making her sparkle, and the cutest smile gracing her lips, I had the greatest urge to hold her right now and never let anyone take her from me.

Lucy was like a shining treasure. My treasure. A treasure fit for a dragon.

I smile.

….

"You know Natsu, I could just tie your shoes for you." I told him. Realization slapped him, as if he just considered now that I might do that.

"Really?! You're the best Lucy!" He shouted, jumping off the bed and swinging me around. I wanted to yell at him to put me down, but laughter bubbled up my throat and I couldn't help myself.

"But wait, I won't learn anything if you tie my shoes for me." He said, slowly setting me down so I was facing him. I chuckled and held his face in my hands, looking into his dark, expressive eyes.

"Then I'll just have to keep tying your shoes for you then!" He tackled me after I said that, hugging me fiercely.

"It's settled then! You'll never ever leave me, 'cause you have to tie my shoes now, always!" He grinned widely. I blushed, wondering if he knew exactly what his proclamation sounded like. I nod.

"Yep, always!"

…

Bisca shot off the starting gun, blanks to be sure, or at least I hope. This was a bigger event than Natsu let on. Many of Magnolia's citizens lined the streets like it was a parade. Lacrima-Vision sets were placed at the starting and finish line, along the ones that followed the runners. I was placed at the finish line, which was reserved for Fairy Tail members, watching as the racers sped off. My heart jumped erratically with excitement.

The course was spread out all over downtown Magnolia, with big blinking arrow signs to tell the runners where to turn.

Natsu was in the lead, followed closely by Erza, and then Gray. Then everyone else. Erza took the lead again. I bit at my nails unconsciously. It's not like I was rooting for anyone to win, but all this excitement was positively nauseating.

"Lucy-san," I whipped away from the Lacrima I had been glued to see Wendy. She smiled politely. "You look a little pale, maybe you should sit down. The runners will be here soon anyway, oh, I'll get you a lemonade!" I chuckled as I watched Wendy run off. She was such a caring kid. But she was right; this race was giving me a headache.

The chorus of cheering got louder and my guild mates leapt away from the finishing line to make room. My breath hitched as I saw Natsu round the corner, followed by a stampede of yelling Fairy Tail members.

Erza furiously sprinted around the corner and ahead of Natsu seemingly from nowhere. Cheers rang through the air as a flash of red passed the finish line, followed by a flabbergasted Natsu and an outraged Gray.

There was a lot of hugging and yelling and congratulating. I stumbled through the crowd to find Erza and say congrats. She quickly pulled my head to her breasts in what a guess was a hug. "Thank you Lucy, I would have never done it without your support." I mumbled a quick 'I doubt it' and paused, swearing someone said my name.

"Lucy!"

I heard him over the din of the crowd.

"Natsu!"

I waved, and he came barreling towards me through the crowd. I heard some 'Oi watch it!' and 'Go get 'er Natsu!' as he rushed by.

He came into view,

And immediately tripped.

I smiled at him floundering to get up while everyone watching laughed. He swooped me up and swung me around, just like earlier. People made a ring of space for us after one too many people got kicked in the faced. He stopped and brought me into a close, tight hug. It didn't even faze me how sweaty he was.

"Your shoelaces are untied." I scolded him. Wait, that wasn't sweat.

"And why are you all wet?!" He laughed cheerfully, his hand proudly planted on his hips. "Gajeel pushed me into the canal on the last bend, and my shoes came off. But that's okay, I won!"

"You didn't win, Erza did." I giggled. He shrugged. "I beat Gray and Gajeel, that's a win for me!" We both laughed, not realizing the spectacle we were making. Another moment passed of accidentally staring into each other's eyes.

"Just kiss already!" Someone in the now mostly silent crowd urged, shoving Natsu towards me. In a panic, all I could think was: dear Mavis my first kiss is going to be an accident and with Natsu.

And in that split second, I was alright with that.

If only Natsu hadn't tripped over his shoelaces when he was pushed.

He comically toppled over on me like a crumbling building and brought me down with him. The crowd laughed as I deadpanned and Natsu's face ended up between my breasts.

"Sorry Lucy!" He grinned, sitting up. I laughed, my jovial guild mates surrounding me. And my best friend, blushing slightly and dripping with water, the afternoon sun rays catching those affectionate, dark eyes of his.

Maybe I'd get that first kiss another day.


End file.
